ROCHESTER – Rochester Aviation, a Rochester-based flight school, has been named the winner of a Flight Training Excellence Award from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the largest aviation association in the world.

Selected from almost 2,500 nominations, the awards recognize schools and flight instructors that are providing the very highest standard of training and customer service.

With more than 3,500 flight schools across the US, Rochester Aviation was one of only seven to win an award from AOPA.

“We created the Flight Training Excellence Awards as part of a long-term, industry-wide effort dedicated to increasing the percentage of students who earn a pilot certificate,” said AOPA CEO Craig Fuller. “We feel it’s important to have positive role models, so we are encouraging the industry to look at these examples of success and draw inspiration and encouragement from them.”

The AOPA Flight Training Excellence Awards, a first in 2012, will be given annually to flight schools and independent flight training providers who exhibit the highest levels of success.

With more than 400,000 members, AOPA is the largest aviation association in the world. From its headquarters in Frederick, Md., it provides services and government advocacy for the general aviation community.